The Connection Between Us
by TheScene01
Summary: As the arrival of two new Substitute Soul Reapers makes ther an the other ryokas' presence known when they save Rukia and the conspiracies happening among captains Akahana finds herself in a tight situation where she must choose between her duty as the Fourteenth Division Captain of Soul Society or the sacrifice of an innocent life and friend. Full sumarry inside Rated M for blood


**TheScene01 here. This is my first Bleach Story. So no flames but constructive criticism is appreciated. Thank you!**

**A/N: **As stated this is my very first Bleach story. Therefore as a fore warning this is a Toshiro x OC story. This is also a very long story. So I'm warning it will be extending all the way into the Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc or maybe a little after that. So there may be spoilers through the story for those of you that are behind the storyline. Also, I'll be mentioning other pairings or hinting at them…if you look close enough you'll see them. And as another thought I'm warning you I may not mention every little damn detail because come on people it's mostly centered around Toshiro and my OC so get over it! Thank you~ :3

**Disclaimer: **I own absolutely NOTHING of Bleach. I've seen the anime which I'm still currently watching and read some of the manga but I don't own any of it. Not the characters, not the logo, not the storyline. NOTHING! Also, there's an OC in here that doesn't belong to me. She belongs to Skywolf77. Thanks for letting me use her girl~! Also, there's a division and the mention of another OC that doesn't belong to me either but I modified it with permission from the owner of this marvelous idea. It belongs to MichieKitt81. So thank you to you also girl~!

**Summary: **As the arrival of two new Substitute Soul Reaper makes his and the other ryokas' presence known when they save Rukia and the conspiracies happening among captains Akahana finds herself in a tight situation where she must choose between her duty as the Fourteenth Division Captain of Soul Society or the sacrifice of an innocent life and friend. After which is soon resolved Akahana finds herself befriending the young ryoka and Substitute Soul Reaper, Yukari, who had helped her come to terms with her conflicting emotions of right and wrong. Soon after Soul Society is back in blissful peace and Akahana finds herself being in the presence of her old childhood friend more and more. As she comforts Toshiro as she once did when they were children about his "wrong doings" she helps him see everything isn't his fault. Once the arrival of the Hollow creatures called Arrancar appear she disembarks to Karakura with the others to help in the struggle and when hearing what a certain Arrancar lets loose. Akahana sees everything isn't as it seems and in a staged death slips away into Hueco Mundo where she goes undercover to find out more. During the war between the Soul Reapers and Arrancars Akahana shows up late to help out which shocks everyone. And the rest…well you'll have to find out. ;)

**Chapter 1**

A young boy sat behind the desk. He had white silver hair, turquoise eyes, and sun kissed slightly tan skin. He had a lean physique but was rather small for his age. He wore the standard black Soul Reaper kimono with the white sleeveless captain haori that the younger captains wore. He sighed wishing his Lieutenant would actually do some paperwork for once. A knock drew his attention away from his work. He sighed, giving a slight scowl as he recognized that reiatsu.

"Come on in Akahana," he said and the door slid open revealing the petite girl.

She had shoulder blade length jet black hair, red eyes, and pale skin. She had a petite stature and was small compared to the other Soul Reaper women and the women her age. She wore a black Soul Reaper kimono with a skirt that went slightly above her knees and the long sleeves hugged her arms but were loose enough where she could move around easily without discomfort or restriction accompanied by her white sleeveless captain's haori, and brown boot-like sandals. She smiled at him.

"Hey, Toshiro I see you're busy as always," she smiled as she sat on the end of the desk.

"If you know I'm busy then why do you disturb me from work, Akahana?" Toshiro sighed at his childhood friend.

Akahana laughed. "Oh, come on. I only came to help."

"Alright, you can do that pile on Rangiku's desk." He said, gesturing to it.

"Geez…" Akahana said at the big stack of paperwork. "If she put as much effort into her paperwork as she did drinking you'd have a lot of free time."

"Yes, but that's not the case now is it?" Toshiro mused. "Though, I can remember I certain captain that would sometimes slack off on her Lieutenant duties once upon a time and loved dropping surprise visits on people."

"Hey, now. Watch it there Mr. Ice Dragon." Akahana teased. "That's one of the ways we met. Or did you forget?"

Toshiro let a small rare smile loose. "How could I forget?"

_Toshiro opened the door to his and his granny's home. He just bought some food to eat for dinner that night and was hoping to help his granny with any thing else she may need. But he didn't expect to find what he found in the kitchen at that moment. A girl shorter than him with black hair, red eyes, and pale skin that wore a black and red kimono with an intricate obi but no shoes worn on her feet. Granny turned and smiled at Toshiro as the girl just looked at him and turquoise and red clashed._

_"Toshiro," Granny smiled. "This is Akahana. I found her unconscious on the road. Akahana this is my grandson, Toshiro."_

_"Granny you shouldn't bring strangers to the house," Toshiro said._

_"But Akahana is no stranger. She's just as welcome here as Momo is." Granny said, causing to Toshiro to sport a blush at the mention of Momo._

_"Nice to meet ya!" Akahana grinned. "We're gonna be great friends."_

_Toshiro scoffed. "Says who?"_

_"Says me! Because I said so! Now deal with it!" Akahana laughed._

_Toshiro blinked at the strange girl. Did she really think that just because she said that he'd go along with it. But before he could say anything she shoved him to the table where the food was already served._

_"Now be a good boy and eat your dinner." Akahana smiled._

_This girl was certainly strange but at least she didn't pose as any type of threat._

_The next morning when Toshiro woke up and went to get the strange girl he found an empty bed. When he went to his granny she just smiled fondly._

_"Granny where's Hana at?" Toshiro asked._

_After one night Akahana had dubbed her nickname for him as Toshi and in retaliation he nicknamed her Hana._

_"She left last night dear but left us money in return for our kindness and hospitality." Granny smiled._

_Toshiro wasn't sure what to say. A girl they barely know is taken in and then leaves money for them for some food, water, and shelter…she was strange indeed. Most souls would leave without a second thought after freeloading off of a stranger. But not her she leaves something for them to be able to get by on. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all._

Akahana smiled fondly at the memory. "Let's not forget about when I dropped back in after that. You were so surprised."

"Well, yeah…we were practically strangers and after that I didn't expect to see or hear back from you again." Toshiro explained.

"Well, you were dead wrong there Toshi!" Akahana sang.

A vein popped on Toshiro's forehead. "I told you to stop calling me that. It's Toshiro."

Akahana laughed, grinning at her childhood friend. His reactions were always amusing. She had found that out after her return to granny's house.

_"Come on, lil Shiro. We can have fun." The brown haired girl said._

_"No way bed wetter!" Toshiro retaliated, running away as Momo chased after him._

_"It's just a bear!" she cried._

_"It's stupid!" Toshiro cried back as he was then tripped and toppled to the floor._

_"Gotcha! I win!" a familiar voice cheered._

_Toshiro looked up and his eyes met red ones that belonged to a pale grinning face._

_"H-Hana?! What are you doing here?!" He asked, completely shocked._

_"Visiting!" she chimed."Now here! Have a watermelon. I shop keeper gave it me for free and we are going to share it!"_

_"Lil Shiro who's this?" Momo asked._

_"Oh…uh…Momo this is Akahana. Hana this Momo." Toshiro introduced the two girls._

_"Nice to meet ya! I see you're in the academy." Akahana said._

_Momo blushed. "Yeah. Nice to meet you, too."_

_Akahana laughed. "We're all gonna be great friends! I just know it!"_

_"Akahana is that you?" Granny asked._

_"Yeah," Akahana answered. "Hope you don't mind me visiting?"_

_"Of course not. You can visit and stay as long as you want." Granny smiled at the small girl._

_"Thanks," Akahana grinned._

That was the first day Toshiro learned never to doubt Akahana. Toshiro looked over and smiled at the girl working diligently on Rangiku's paperwork. She really was something else. Strange but free spirited. Cruel yet kind hearted. It was amazing how one person could be so many things wrapped into one. Not to mention he wonders sometimes how her lieutenant fares under her. Speaking of which…

"How is Lieutenant Himura?" Toshiro asked.

Akahana chuckled. "Washi is fine. He's a tough kid. He can handle the work."

"Well, at least your lieutenant is more resourceful when it comes to paperwork." Toshiro teased.

"Oh, Toshi. Rangiku isn't that bad." Akahana said, placing the finished stack of paperwork on the small table by the couch followed by Toshiro's.

"Says the girl that gets to relax thanks to her lieutenant." Toshiro retorted.

"And that's why you have me," Akahana giggled. "Man you really haven't changed at all. Not even after all these years have you changed. You're still the same old Toshi I met when I was just fourteen. But of course he was a lot more fun to tease."

"Oh, thanks," Toshiro scowled and then they both laughed.

"Those were good old days, huh? The days before we went to the Academy." Akahana said, leaning against the wall and looking out the window.

She was no longer in the present but the past. She was in her own world recalling a much happier time for the both of them. A place they didn't have to constantly worry about the other when they went on missions and if they'd return back safely or not. Toshiro sighed. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss those days, too. But of course he's never voice this out loud. He had to be strong for the both of them. He was her pillar of stability just as she was his. They pushed each other to try harder and do better. They were each other's strength. The only difference that Akahana could see though is that they were not as close as she wished they once were because he was too caught up with his old childhood crush, Momo. That was fine with her, though. If Momo made him happy and she had no place in his life she would move on to the next stage and person that would inevitably abandon her like her real family did. She was kidnapped and never came and she witness to things at a very young age no child should see. Her innocence was scathed. She was just a girl like the rest. The only thing that separated her from the others was her immense reiatsu and the fact that she was a bit on the psychotic side when it came to blood. She can still remember that day clearly.

_Akahana stared in horror at the scene before her. The Soul Reaper before her just killed a man. The limp corpse was lying dead as blood flowed from his neck and onto the floor of the small house they were in. Her eyes were wide in terror. Her senses were going haywire. As the next man was killed and blood splashed onto the floor and some onto Akahana's face. She couldn't stand the sight any longer and screamed for all she was worth an ear piercing scream. The Soul Reaper was no longer the person she looked to for comfort and guidance but a warped and demented form of what once was. _

_"Murderer! Give me back Takahiro!" she yelled and the figure before her just tilted its head and smiled at her in a menacing way._

_She screamed blacking out. By the time she regained consciousness there was not a single soul left alive within the building. Everything was lifeless and dead. The walls and floor were all painted red with their blood and some was caked to Akahana's face. She screamed and ran out the door. She dashed through the streets weaving her way through the crowd of bodies in the night. She just ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. The last thing she remembers is a gentle, soft, and masculine voice speaking to her before she collapsed._

_"There's no need to worry my mistress. Everything will be fine now my small princess. Rest now and I promise you'll be in a better place when you awaken. You're never alone. I'll always be with you my young mistress. Now sleep. You've earned it."_

_She smiled as she saw a face. He was slightly pale with black hair and red eyes like her. Red horns sat atop his head and he had small fangs poking out of his mouth. But not in a menacing way at all. He smiled at her in a kind and gentle way that displayed fondness. Akahana smiled as her eyelids slowly slid shut._

_"Thank you," she whispered._

Akahana smiled at the memory of when Chi Akuma first spoke to her. If it were not for her Zanpakuto she most likely would have gone mad and insane by now. She would forever be grateful to him for he was her true family that never left. She would always love her Zanpakuto for that whether it'd be intentional or not. She knew Chi Akuma would always be there for her and she would always accept him with open arms no matter what his decisions were. She believed he should be able to roam freely. She knew even if he could he would never leave her side because to him she more than just his wielder or mistress. For she was his princess and he was her knight just like Toshiro was her knight. She smiled at that. She'd forever be grateful to him and Granny for everything.

_'My princess do not trouble yourself with such negative thoughts,' she heard Chi Akuma speak to her._

She smiled at his kind and soothing words.

_'Alright, Chi Akuma. No more negative thoughts today. I promise.'_

And she meant every single word of it.


End file.
